When residents get their next property tax bill in July, they will notice a new tax bill format that shows the Township Public Library’s funding as a separate item. But residents can breathe easy…for a 4th consecutive budget, there is NO Township Tax Increase!

A new State law (P.L. 2011, c. 38) requires towns to show the amount that their Public Libraries are funded in a separate line item. That portion is determined by the State of New Jersey – not by Hamilton Township. Previously, the amount that township libraries were funded was included in the Township (“Municipal”) line item of residents’ property tax bills.

“It is important for residents to know the facts – that this is not a new tax or an increased tax, just a different way that the State of New Jersey wants us to format property tax bills,” explains Hamilton Township Mayor John Bencivengo. “We are proud of the fact that for a fourth consecutive budget, there is once again – no Township tax increase!”

A letter from the Mayor accompanying the property tax bills due on August 1st will again explain this new change in the bill format and provide residents with an easy to read graphical illustration of the new breakdown.

For residents who received a rebate this year from the State of New Jersey, the entire amount was deducted from last quarter’s (May 1st) property tax bill. Therefore, their bill will return to their regular amount – which for the Township portion, has not increased in the past 4 consecutive budgets.

Property tax bills pay for government services for many government entities that are completely separate from the Hamilton Township municipal government. These separate government entities include the Hamilton Public School District, Mercer County government, and residents’ local Fire District. Just over 25% of residents’ property tax bills funds Hamilton Township’s municipal government (providing services like Police protection, Garbage Collection, Sewer Service, Township Parks and Roads, etc.) and approximately 1.43% funds Hamilton’s Public Library, while the remaining 73.5% of residents’ property tax bills go directly to the Hamilton School District, Mercer County government, the County’s Open Space Fund and Hamilton’s Fire Districts, all of which set their own tax rates.

üThe remaining 73.5% of residents’ tax bills go directly to separate governments – the School District, Mercer County government, the County’s Open Space Fund and Hamilton’s Fire Districts, all of which set their own tax rates.